Police Cyclist ban in Manchester following death...

Hundreds of police officers in Greater Manchester have been banned from patrolling on their bicycles on health and safety grounds.

The move follows the death of a Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) who was on duty when his bicycle was hit by a lorry in Hindley Green, Wigan.

Christopher Maclure, 21, suffered head injuries and died at the scene.

All officers with less than a year's experience on a bike have now been stopped while a review is carried out.

Greater Manchester Police said officers with more than a year's experience could continue to use mountain bikes, but they would be given extra safety advice.

A spokesman said: "This decision has been taken following the tragic death of PCSO Chris Maclure in Wigan.

"The safety of officers and staff is our first priority and, while there is no suggestion the assessment process Chris underwent had anything to do with the collision, we have decided to review the nature of assessing officers who patrol on bikes.

"Following consultation with our health and safety training unit and Unison, we feel confident that officers who have patrolled on bikes for more than 12 months have sufficient experience and road awareness to continue to ride.

"They will be given supplementary advice regarding the Highway Code and safe riding and we will support anybody who has concerns about continuing to patrol on their bikes.

"We hope the officers affected by this review will be back patrolling on bikes in a couple of months."

Am astonished that the Manchester police powers-that-be haven't heard of the International Police Mountainbike Association course. Well-designed, thorough and police specific - they could try contacting York City police who have properly qualified instructors.

I do beleive that it was GM police that allowed that lad to die in the poond not so long back

On a slightly diff'. note - how you could miss one of those police cyclist I do not know...they are just SOOO bright - wonder what the driver said there cause if he said 'i didn't see him', then it'd be murder from my angle....

I do beleive that it was GM police that allowed that lad to die in the poond not so long back

On a slightly diff'. note - how you could miss one of those police cyclist I do not know...they are just SOOO bright - wonder what the driver said there cause if he said 'i didn't see him', then it'd be murder from my angle....

Click to expand...

Two points...

1. Forgetting the sensationalist bit. Two PCSOs allegedly arrived after the boy has disappeared under the water and no-one could point out where t he boy might be. Hence no point in trying to do anything, apart from summon appropriates help. Of course one could question why these kids were playing in such a dangerous plac, but that would'nt sell papers!

2. "Seeing" is not the problem. I have a 50 watt headlight, and an Airzound, but the combined effect didn't dter the Post Office Van driving up on the wrong side of the road this evening and parking on thepavement almost touchingthe fairing where I had stopped!